Assighstos to



J. M. BERDAN. ROOFING. APPLICATION FILED AUG.4. 1920.

Patented July 11, 1922.

I 11% I mo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ JACOB M. BERDAN, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO- J'OHNS-IVIANVILLE INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 4., 1920. Serial No. 401,117.

1 0 all 1:072 0mz't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB M. BERDAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at city of Paterson, county of Passaic, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovementsin Roofing, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to roofing built up with several layers of some water-proofed felt, or similar fabric which is usually supplied in rolls and cemented to the roof structure. The invention is particularly applicable to such roofs as have a cement or other monolithic base liable to crack under varying conditions of dryness and temperature, producing expansion and contraction. In such cases it is the practice to cement the layers of felt to the base and to one another, and then, if the base cracks, the superposed felt layers are usually torn apart and a leak in the roof results. My invention overcomes this difiiculty by having among the felt layers one member which is composed of two layers, not cemented together over the greater portion of their opposing faces, but otherwise held together sufliciently by some elastic fastening means to prevent the upper layers from being stripped off by the wind or other force.

My invention also finds a useful application to roof structures having a wooden base for supporting the layers of waterproof fabric.

The best form of structure embodying my invention at present known to me is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of roofing constructed in accordance with one form of my invention with parts broken away, or partly separated;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on an enlarged scale of one member of the combination shown'in Fig. 1 on line 22, of Fig. 1;

Throughout the drawings like reference characters indicate like parts. i

1, is the base of the roofing which is usually the deck of the roof structure of a building formed of concrete or similar monolithic material, but may be of wood. 2, represents a layer of cold asphaltic priming material applied. to the roof base 1, to serve primarily in producing a cementing surface. Upon this layer are unrolled double members composed of sheets of fabric 3 and 13, which have been fastened together preferably in the factory where they were manufactured .by the rows of stitching 6, 6, through an .by the usual layers of hot asphalt 7, 7, and

the usual top surfacing of hot or cold asphalt is finally applied as indicated at 8.

In use, any cracking of the monolithic base 1, will evidently result, when my invention is employed, in merely tearing apart the lower sheet 13, of the expansion mernber, leaving the upper sheet 3, and the superposed sheets 4L and 5 intact, as the elasticity of the stitching and the interposed layer of felted hair permits considerable relative movement of the lower sheet 13, without transmission of the same to the upper sheet 3, or to the upper, exposed water-proof layers 1 and 5, which of course. are of relatively low tensile strength and consequently must be kept free from the tearing action of the base exerted when the latter contracts and cracks under changes'of temperature.

The hair felt structure formed by elements 3, 6, 9 and 13, not only forms an expansion layer, by reason of its elasticity horizontally, allowing it to function as above described, but it also serves a most useful purpose as an efficient insulator against the transmission of heat. This function is of the greatest importance when the roofing is applied to a wooden base. It is now generally accepted as an established fact by engineers that much of the rotting of wooden beams and boards in roofs is due tot-he constant deposition of moisture thereon in cold weather by condensation of the vapor from the warm atmosphere of the building interior, superinduced by the low temperature of the roof, which is exposed to the cold winds or to melting snow of winter. The use of my invention materially reduces this condensation by acting as an insulator against loss of heat from the supporting structure of the roof and so maintaining it more nearly at the temperature of the rooms beneath. This feature of my invention also economizes fuel needed to warm buildings equipped with it in both forms of roof structure here referred to, and is also usc fill in reducing condensation on the interior of roofs of all forms.

My invention also can be employedwith roofing prepared for use before application" to the building by cementin together the several layers at the place 0 manufacture.

The intermediate layer of hair felt or other elastic material 9, being of consider able thickness, gives the stitching connecting-sheets 3 and 13 a chance to swing one Way or the other, as the lower sheet 13 expanes or contracts with the roof, without transihitting any appreciable strains to the bled particles resting directly upon said foundation and a su erposed layer of waterproof fabric f relatively low tensile strength resting irectly on said intermediate member, whereby an exposed, elastically supported upper surface is secured and any expansion or contraction of the foundation member is compensated for in the intermediate layer and not transmitted to the superposed Waterproof layer.

A structure such as set forth in claim 1 in which the said intermediate layer is relatively of considerable thickness and composed of loosely felted fibres.

A structure such asset forth in claim 1, in which the intermediate layer is composed of hair felt.

JACOB M. BERDAN.

Witnesses JOHN J. GREENE, EDW. D. PAKEE'NHAII. 

